Description
Cheesecake Fruit Salad is a delightful and creamy fruit dessert combining fresh mixed fruits with a rich cheesecake-style filling made from cream cheese, powdered sugar, and whipped heavy cream. A generous caramel sauce drizzle adds a sweet finish. This no-cook, chilled dessert is perfect for gatherings or as a refreshing treat on warm days.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 cups green apples, chopped
- 1 cup grapes (red or green), halved
- 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned), drained
- 1 cup bananas, sliced
Cheesecake Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (chilled)
Topping
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Prepare the Fruit: Wash and prepare all the fruits as instructed—hull and slice strawberries, chop green apples, halve grapes, ensure pineapple chunks are drained, and slice bananas to ensure all are ready for mixing.
- Combine Fruit: Place all the prepared fruits into a large mixing bowl to create the base of the salad.
- Make Cheesecake Filling: In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, ensuring no lumps.
- Whip Cream: In another bowl, whip the chilled heavy cream until stiff peaks form, which means the cream holds its shape firmly when the beaters are lifted.
- Fold Mixtures: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to create a light, fluffy cheesecake filling without deflating the whipped cream.
- Assemble the Salad: Pour the cheesecake filling over the bowl of mixed fruits and gently fold to coat the fruit evenly with the creamy mixture.
- Add Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle the caramel sauce generously over the coated fruit salad or alternatively serve it on the side as a topping option.
- Chill: Refrigerate the entire salad for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld and the filling to firm up slightly.
- Serve: Serve the chilled cheesecake fruit salad garnished with extra caramel drizzle or crushed graham crackers for added texture and flavor if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute any of the fruits based on seasonality or preference, such as using blueberries or kiwi.
- For a lighter version, use reduced-fat cream cheese and whipped cream alternatives.
- The dessert should be consumed within 1-2 days to maintain fruit freshness.
- Add crushed graham crackers or nuts for an extra crunchy texture on top when serving.
- If using canned pineapple, ensure it is well drained to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
